Amount: $2,500. About: The National Merit Scholarship is an annual award granted to approximately 7,500 graduating high school seniors each year. To qualify, students must score in the 99th percentile of their state on the PSAT/NMSQT exam and complete a multi-step application process. [Students who missed the PSAT/NMSQT due to a legitimate reason may apply for the National Merit Scholarship through a process called Alternate Entry.] Of the 1.6 million high school juniors who take the test each year, approximately 50,000 qualify for recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Of these, some 34,000 receive letters of commendation that can be listed in college applications. The 16,000 students who rank in the top 1% of test-takers in their state are designated National Merit Semifinalists and may submit an application for a National Merit Scholarship. To be named a National Merit Semifinalist, students must score at or above their state’s Selection Index cutoff score. There are three types of Merit Scholarships awards: National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships, and College-sponsored Merit Scholarships.
Eligible Grade Levels: High School Junior
Eligible Majors: All majors
Residency Requirement: No residency requirement
Minimum GPA: No GPA requirement
Deadline: No fixed deadline, but students recommended to take the PSAT in junior year of high school Please note that scholarship deadlines often change, so make sure to check the scholarship sponsor’s website for up-to-date deadlines.